Regional Manager for Asia at the Center for Reproductive Rights

Regional Manager for Asia

Department: International Legal Program, Center for Reproductive Rights

Job Posted On: Friday, March 25, 2011

Center Background: Founded in 1992 and headquartered in New York City, Center for Reproductive Rights is a non-profit organization that promotes women’s equality worldwide by securing reproductive rights in constitutional and international human rights law. The Center uses the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. The Center is unparalleled as a reproductive rights advocacy organization and in its expertise on U.S. constitutional law, comparative law, and international human rights law.

The Center works across the globe on issues including access to life-saving obstetrics care, contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive sexuality information, as well as the prevention of forced sterilization and FGM. It has brought groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. committees, and regional human rights bodies, and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in over 45 countries. In recent years, the Center has aggressively expanded its international program and built on its established reputation as first-rate litigators to take the human rights framework into its work in the U.S. In 2008, the Center established the Law School Initiative to promote legal scholarship and teaching on reproductive health and human rights, an emerging body of transnational law, to shape the thinking of the next generation of lawyers, judges, and policymakers.

The Center is led by President Nancy Northup, who joined the Center in 2003 with a rich mix of experience as a constitutional litigator, federal prosecutor, and women’s rights advocate. Under Ms. Northup’s leadership, the Center expanded its international work, including the launch of an international litigation campaign that has included the first abortion case decided by the U.N. Human Rights Committee and the first case to frame preventable maternal deaths as a human rights violation.

The Center is governed by a 21-person board of directors and employs a diverse staff of 70 professionals from Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Korea, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Slovakia, and the U.S. In addition to a headquarters in New York City, the Center has offices in Washington D.C., Nairobi, Bogotá and in 2011 will open an office in Asia. Its annual budget of $11.4 million is raised primarily from foundations and individuals.

To learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org

Responsibilities: The Center is seeking a talented, creative and strategic Regional Manager for Asia to oversee and develop the work of its new Regional Office in Asia. The Regional Manager for Asia will work under the supervision of the Regional Director for Asia who is based in the New York Office and help establish and eventually manage the Regional Office in all areas of program work as defined in the Center’s strategic plan. This position will be based overseas.

The Regional Office will be based potentially either in Nepal, Thailand or Singapore. It will operate in focus countries identified by the Center and will engage in advocacy with regional human rights bodies, regional NGOs and UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies. Travel to New York will be required once a year and in the region as needed for research, advocacy and participation in meetings

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Program responsibilities

Litigation and Advocacy:

• Identify opportunities for litigation in collaboration with partner organizations. 
• Develop the factual record and pleadings, research and write legal memoranda, amicus curiae, and case briefs on comparative and international human rights law.
• Participate in the design and implementation of advocacy strategies to support litigation.

Technical Assistance for Law Reform and Capacity Building:

• Identify opportunities for contributing to law reform initiatives and draft bills that relate to strategic priorities.
• Develop capacity-building strategies to promote the use of reproductive rights litigation and advocacy in the region.

Research and Advocacy:

• Conduct general legal and policy research on reproductive rights in the region and identify and analyze key trends, including opposition to abortion rights.
• Monitor compliance with international obligations relating to reproductive rights and jurisprudential developments. 
• Participate in fact-finding missions to document and expose human rights violations.
• Contribute to formal submissions for UN human rights bodies and draft submissions for national and regional human rights bodies.
• Contribute to the development of advocacy material and other Center publications.

Management responsibilities

Staff supervision and inter-office liaising:

• Recruit, train and supervise a finance and administration assistant.
• Recruit, supervise and mentor interns to support the program.
• Regularly liaise with concerned staff at the New York Office.

External relations and fundraising:

• Develop and maintain relationships with local and regional NGOs. 
• Identify potential donors and actively engage in fundraising for the Regional Program.
• Liaise with international funders based in-country and represent the Center in various networks and coalitions
• Cultivate pro bono partnerships and develop projects with law firms, law associations, and law schools in the region to leverage our work. 
• Represent the Center externally on matters related to reproductive rights in the region through public speaking and interaction with the media.

Overall Candidate Requirements: The ideal candidate will be a creative and strategic thinker and have good judgment and excellent analytical capabilities; strong writing skills; the ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure; the capacity to take initiative, prioritize, and pay close attention to detail while juggling multiple tasks; strong communications skills; the ability to supervise, train and mentor junior staff; the ability to work effectively as part of a team and in partnership with peer organizations; and be pro-active and ready to take leadership when needed.

Applicants must have: A law degree and at least five years of experience working internationally and/or nationally to develop and promote human rights strategies in the area of women’s rights; substantial knowledge of international law and mechanisms; experience in litigation, advocacy, program management, strategic planning and staff supervision; and excellent research, writing, and public speaking skills in English. A minimum commitment of two years is required. 
Previous experience working with women’s rights NGOs based in Asia and fluency in at least one Asian language is strongly desirable.

Send cover letter and résumé to:

Email (preferred): resumes@reprorights.org

Note: Applicants must indicate “Regional Manager for Asia, their last name and code 110” as the subject of emailed applications. Cover letter and resume should be sent as attachments.

The deadline for submitting applications will be May 31st. Please note that resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage candidates from all groups and communities to apply.